Definition
Granulite is fine to medium grained metamorphic rock with a granular of polygonal crystals.
Marble is a non-foliated metamorphic rock which is composed of recrystallized carbonate which is formed when limestone is exposed to high temperatures and pressures over a long time
Origin
Central Europe
Egypt
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From Latin granulum, a little grain or fine grained
From the Greek marmaros, shining stone and also from the English word marmoreal meaning marble-like
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Granoblastic
Granular
Color
Black, Brown
Black, Blue, Brown, Grey, Pink, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Veined or Pebbled
Veined and Shiny
Interior Uses
Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens, Stair Treads
Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens, Stair Treads
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
-
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls
As Dimension Stone
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Curling, Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Soil Conditioner, Tombstones
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Curling, Laboratory bench tops, Paper Industry, Tombstones, Used in aquariums, Whiting material in toothpaste, paint and paper
Types
Metamorphic rock
Breccia Marble, Carrara Marble, Calacatta marble, Cultured Marble, Polished Marble, Honed Marble, Sand Marble
Features
Clasts are smooth to touch
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Easily splits into thin plates, Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
-
Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, Buland Darwaza in Agra, India, Capitol Hill Building, Washington DC, Charminar in Hyderabad, India, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in Maharashtra, India, Ephesus in Turkey, Faisal Mosque in Islamabad, Pakistan, Humayun's Tomb in Delhi, India, Jama Masjid in Delhi, India, Lotus Temple in New Delhi, India, Louvre in Paris, France, Mysore Palace in Karnataka, India, Neuschwanstein in Bavaria, Palace of Parliament in Bucharest, Romania, Parthenon in Greece, Potala Palace in Lahasa, Tibet, Prophet’s Mosque in Medina, Qutb Minar in India, Saint Basil's Cathedral in Moscow, Russia, St. Peter’s Cathedral in Vatican City, Taj Mahal in Agra, India, Tower of Pisa, Italy, Victoria Memorial in Kolkata, India, Washington Monument, US
Famous Sculptures
-
Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra, India, Bust of Artemis, Elephanta Caves in Maharashtra, India, Lincoln Memorial in America
Formation
Granulite is a fine-grained granular metamorphic rock in which the main component minerals are feldspars and quartz and forms at high temperature and pressure conditions.
Marble is a metamorphic rock produced from limestone in the earth crust. It is formed by the metamorphism of limestone.
Mineral Content
Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Quartz
Garnet, Graphite, Olivine, Pyrite, Quartz
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Sulfur Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, MgO, Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
-
Impact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Coarse Grained
Medium Grained
Porosity
Very Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Vitreous
Dull to Pearly to Subvitreous
Specific Gravity
2.8-3.0
2.86-2.87
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
3.06-3.33 g/cm3
2.4-2.7 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
China, India
Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Nigeria, South Africa
Namibia
Europe
Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sardinia, Spain, Switzerland, The Czech Republic
Italy, Spain
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
-
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
-
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria
Granulite vs Marble Characteristics
Though some rocks look identical, they have certain characteristics which distinguish them from others. Characteristics of rocks include texture, appearance, color, fracture, streak, hardness etc. Granulite vs Marble characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Granulite and Properties of Marble. Learn more about Granulite vs Marble in the next section. The interior uses of Granulite include Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior decoration, Kitchens and Stair treads whereas the interior uses of Marble include Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Floor tiles, Homes, Hotels, Interior decoration, Kitchens and Stair treads. Due to some exceptional properties of Granulite and Marble, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Granulite in construction industry include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls and that of Marble include As dimension stone.
More about Granulite and Marble
Here you can know more about Granulite and Marble. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Granulite and Marble consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Granulite includes Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Quartz and mineral content of Marble includes Garnet, Graphite, Olivine, Pyrite, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Granulite vs Marble, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Granulite is available in black, brown colors whereas, Marble is available in black, blue, brown, grey, pink, white colors. Appearance of Granulite is Veined or Pebbled and that of Marble is Veined and Shiny. Properties of rock is another aspect for Granulite vs Marble. The hardness of Granulite is 6-7 and that of Marble is 3-4. The types of Granulite are Metamorphic rock whereas types of Marble are Breccia Marble, Carrara Marble, Calacatta marble, Cultured Marble, Polished Marble, Honed Marble, Sand Marble. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Granulite and Marble is white. The specific heat capacity of Granulite is 0.14 kJ/Kg K and that of Marble is 0.88 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Granulite is heat resistant, wear resistant whereas Marble is heat resistant.